The seventh Early American Moravian Music Festival was held in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, June 14-21, 1964. Festival soloists were Maud Nosler, soprano; Dan Sullivan, baritone; Robert Elmore, organist; Monica Schantz, pianist and youth chorus; with Thor Johnson, conductor of the choir and Festival orchestra. Seminar faculty included Lilian Knowles Jones, vocalizing; Monica Schantz, youth choir; Richard Schantz, adult choir and service music; Rudolph Schulze, the new hymnal and hymn selection [the “new hymnal” was published in 1969]; Marilyn Gombosi, the Moravian Music Foundation.
Perhaps taking a lesson from the Ohio Festival, this one too featured concerts in different locations, including …
- Wednesday, June 17, at Warwick Union High School in Lititz, Pennsylvania, with music by Michael, Krommer, Herbst, Freydt, Gregor, Peter, and Danzi;
- Friday, June 19, at Nazareth Moravian Church, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with music by Peter, Dencke, Latrobe, Reicha, Gerke, Herbst, Simon Peter, Gregor, and Hagen;
- Saturday morning, June 20, at Central Moravian Church, featuring the Festival Orchestra with Youth Chorus directed by Monica Schantz;
- Saturday evening, June 21, at Central Moravian Church, with the Festival orchestra performing music by Hommann, Danzi, Michael, Gerke, and Danzi, and vocal music by Antes and Hagen;
- the Festival church service on Sunday morning, June 21, at Central Moravian Church, with music by Antes, Handel, Hagen, J. S. Bach, congregational hymns, and a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Walser H. Allen entitled “Ne’er Cease to Sing, Thou Ransomed Host.”
- Sunday afternoon, June 21, at Central Moravian Church, with music by Freydt, Marcello, Simon Peter, J. F. Peter, Herbst, Charles Wesley, and Latrobe, along with congregational hymns.
The Festival and Seminar was organized by a capable and sizeable committee chaired by Elmer L. Mack.
